Mara Wolfe watering at her summer internship in Glen Arm, Maryland.
Perennials. Do they have more value than just adding color to your lawn? Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) sophomore, Mara Wolfe might be inclined to say yes. Wolfe spent her summer interning at The Perennial Farm in Glen Arm, Maryland. The Baltimore, Maryland native didn’t simply completed her summer internship hours; she gained a far greater experience.
With each task she was assigned, Wolfe gained new skills. She potted and watered plants; boxed plants for shipments and weddings; trimmed and ran rows; and unloaded plants from trucks, among other small jobs. She now has the ability to handle plants in all growth stages, and she understands how shipments work and the reasoning behind many farm practices.
Wolfe credited her experience with “opening her eyes to the production of plants.” She places value in her newly acquired knowledge and sees it as a great learning experience. With her new-found knowledge of the business of plants and plants in general, Wolfe plans to pursue a career in landscape architecture.
Plants were not the only component to her internship. Wolfe says that “one of my favorite parts of the internship was meeting so many different people from so many different walks of life.” Wolfe used this opportunity to learn from each person she encountered throughout the summer.
Her hard work and dedication earned her the respect of her peers. Her co-worker, Maura Neely said, “Working with Mara was a great experience (besides just the shared name and love of musical theatre)! She was always willing to go the extra mile and get her hands dirty with the tough jobs, literally! Mara’s bubbly personality always brightened my day at work. I couldn't think of a better coworker. We will miss her so much!”
All and all, Wolfe took away quite a lot from her summer internship experience. She says “being out in the heat is tough work but incredibly rewarding to see your progress and own personal growth. I went into this internship knowing very little, but worked and gained a lot of knowledge.” Learning is never linear. Wolfe took away a new skill set and vast knowledge to benefit her in the near future. That knowledge didn't come free though. She paid for it with months of hard work and determination. Perennials may seem like just another category of plant to anyone else but to Mara Wolfe they hold a whole new meaning.
